Rolling Stone's biggest blunder is failing to recognize its power
August 2013
Songwriter and author Shel Silverstein described the rush of appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in a top 10 hit released by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show in 1973. The song outlines the measures of success in the rock music business, including immense wealth, “all the friends that money can buy,” and “teenage, blue-eyed groupies who do anything we say.” But it is clear that the ultimate achievement – the last item to check off the success scorecard – is seeing your photo on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Part of the first verse goes: “We take all kinds of pills that give us all kinds of thrills / But the thrill we’ve never known / Is the thrill that’ll getcha when you get your picture / On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone.” Although the song is meant to be playful, its message is important: Being featured on the cover of Rolling Stone means something.
The Aug. 1 issue of Rolling Stone featuring Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the two brothers accused of committing the April Boston Marathon bombings, on its cover drew criticism even before it was released. Calls for boycotts have appeared all over social media, and several retail outlets decided not to carry the issue, though it reportedly has been selling well. Critics argue that the cover and accompanying in-depth analysis of Tsarnaev’s life glamorizes terrorism. A statement issued by Rolling Stone counters that the cover story is part of the magazine’s “long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day.” And defenders of the cover have pointed out that The New York Times also featured the photo on its front page.
Although the magazine is best known for its coverage of the entertainment industry and its name has become synonymous with glamour and fame, Rolling Stone has indeed been recognized for its reports on serious political, economic and environmental issues. But whether or not the magazine should be considered as “hard news” as the Times – and whether that status permits use of such a photo – isn’t really the issue. When it comes to celebritizing criminals, they’re both guilty.
Rolling Stone and other media outlets must begin to recognize the powerful influence they have in shaping our society. Our mass media do not merely report the news, but they help make the news meaningful. Their choice of stories to cover legitimizes some events over others, and their reporting influences our interpretations of those events. They help us make sense of our world and share our understandings with others. They reinforce cultural norms and values. Indeed, the mass media shape our collective consciousness.
Mass media certainly do not create murderers, cult leaders and other criminals, but the kind of coverage they grant to these stories goes far beyond simply reporting the news. Devoting so much attention to them sends the message that their acts are deserving of the same sort of recognition and treatment afforded to celebrities, political leaders and other public figures. And some killers – particularly those with the highest body counts and most gruesome methods – receive enormous fame. They sit for numerous interviews with journalists, authors, and television and movie producers, and their images and words appear in publications and on merchandise distributed worldwide.
Many multiple murderers clearly recognize the media as an available outlet for fame. Some have actively used the media to attain recognition and seek celebrity status. Serial killers Keith Jesperson (the “Happy Face Killer”) and Dennis Rader (the “BTK killer”) actively sought attention from the media by sending numerous letters to media outlets and, in Rader’s case, threatening to kill more if he did not see news coverage of his killings. After his confession, Rader commented on all the attention he was receiving, saying, “I feel like a star right now.”
Many follow and admire other infamous criminals, and some even strive to beat current “records” (e.g., most victims or greatest amount of publicity). Serial killer Bob Berdella kept a folder filled with news clippings about other serial criminals, including Elmer Wayne Henley of Texas, Charles “Tex” Watson of California (a member of the infamous Manson Family), and Kansas City’s “Westport rapist” James Maynard. Serial killer Eddie Cole collected news clippings about the “Boston Strangler” case.
This kind of news coverage contributes little to public understanding of these crimes and criminals. In fact, it more frequently leads to misinformation, a false sense of security or even increased fear. And granting fame to these criminals sends a dangerous message to would-be offenders; it may even encourage acts of violence. We must closely examine messages imbedded in mass media stories and photos to uncover what they are really saying – and stop pretending these messages don’t matter.
Songwriter and author Shel Silverstein described the rush of appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in a top 10 hit released by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show in 1973. The song outlines the measures of success in the rock music business, including immense wealth, “all the friends that money can buy,” and “teenage, blue-eyed groupies who do anything we say.” But it is clear that the ultimate achievement – the last item to check off the success scorecard – is seeing your photo on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Part of the first verse goes: “We take all kinds of pills that give us all kinds of thrills / But the thrill we’ve never known / Is the thrill that’ll getcha when you get your picture / On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone.” Although the song is meant to be playful, its message is important: Being featured on the cover of Rolling Stone means something.
The Aug. 1 issue of Rolling Stone featuring Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the two brothers accused of committing the April Boston Marathon bombings, on its cover drew criticism even before it was released. Calls for boycotts have appeared all over social media, and several retail outlets decided not to carry the issue, though it reportedly has been selling well. Critics argue that the cover and accompanying in-depth analysis of Tsarnaev’s life glamorizes terrorism. A statement issued by Rolling Stone counters that the cover story is part of the magazine’s “long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day.” And defenders of the cover have pointed out that The New York Times also featured the photo on its front page.
Although the magazine is best known for its coverage of the entertainment industry and its name has become synonymous with glamour and fame, Rolling Stone has indeed been recognized for its reports on serious political, economic and environmental issues. But whether or not the magazine should be considered as “hard news” as the Times – and whether that status permits use of such a photo – isn’t really the issue. When it comes to celebritizing criminals, they’re both guilty.
Rolling Stone and other media outlets must begin to recognize the powerful influence they have in shaping our society. Our mass media do not merely report the news, but they help make the news meaningful. Their choice of stories to cover legitimizes some events over others, and their reporting influences our interpretations of those events. They help us make sense of our world and share our understandings with others. They reinforce cultural norms and values. Indeed, the mass media shape our collective consciousness.
Mass media certainly do not create murderers, cult leaders and other criminals, but the kind of coverage they grant to these stories goes far beyond simply reporting the news. Devoting so much attention to them sends the message that their acts are deserving of the same sort of recognition and treatment afforded to celebrities, political leaders and other public figures. And some killers – particularly those with the highest body counts and most gruesome methods – receive enormous fame. They sit for numerous interviews with journalists, authors, and television and movie producers, and their images and words appear in publications and on merchandise distributed worldwide.
Many multiple murderers clearly recognize the media as an available outlet for fame. Some have actively used the media to attain recognition and seek celebrity status. Serial killers Keith Jesperson (the “Happy Face Killer”) and Dennis Rader (the “BTK killer”) actively sought attention from the media by sending numerous letters to media outlets and, in Rader’s case, threatening to kill more if he did not see news coverage of his killings. After his confession, Rader commented on all the attention he was receiving, saying, “I feel like a star right now.”
Many follow and admire other infamous criminals, and some even strive to beat current “records” (e.g., most victims or greatest amount of publicity). Serial killer Bob Berdella kept a folder filled with news clippings about other serial criminals, including Elmer Wayne Henley of Texas, Charles “Tex” Watson of California (a member of the infamous Manson Family), and Kansas City’s “Westport rapist” James Maynard. Serial killer Eddie Cole collected news clippings about the “Boston Strangler” case.
This kind of news coverage contributes little to public understanding of these crimes and criminals. In fact, it more frequently leads to misinformation, a false sense of security or even increased fear. And granting fame to these criminals sends a dangerous message to would-be offenders; it may even encourage acts of violence. We must closely examine messages imbedded in mass media stories and photos to uncover what they are really saying – and stop pretending these messages don’t matter.
